GP Patient Assaults
Irish GP jailed 18 months for sexually assaulting two patients during examinations in UK clinics
Key Points
In the Sunderland incident, prosecutors say Iqbal asked the patient to remove her top to check for lumps and, at one point, rubbed against her with an erection during the examination, despite it being unrelated to her injuries.
The judge described Iqbal’s actions as using medical examinations in two patients as a cover for sexually assaulting them; Justice Edward Bindloss told him this was a betrayal of trust and the medical oath.
During the hearing, both victims read their own victim-impact statements; one said she came to a doctor in a position of trust and that Iqbal’s actions betrayed that trust and the medical oath, while the other described lingering shock for months.
Iqbal’s work pattern involved being employed by insurance companies to perform examinations and generate medical reports for car-accident victims, regularly travelling from Ireland to the UK to clinics in Sunderland, Newcastle and Darlington.
A GP from County Meath has been jailed for 18 months after sexually assaulting two female patients during medical examinations following road traffic accidents. Muhammad Iqbal, 64, from Julianstown, was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court and placed on the sex offender register for 10 years, according to The Independent.
Iqbal worked for insurance companies, traveling regularly from Ireland to conduct medical examinations and write reports for car-accident victims at clinics in Darlington, Sunderland, and Newcastle. The assaults took place during those examinations in 2023, Yahoo News reported.
How Iqbal Used Examinations to Cover Assault
In the Darlington incident, Iqbal grabbed a woman's breast during what should have been a routine check. In Sunderland, he told a patient he needed to check her for lumps — a claim entirely unrelated to her accident injuries. At one point during that examination, he rubbed against her with an erection, Yahoo News reported.
Judge Edward Bindloss told Iqbal he had used medical examinations as "a cover for sexually assaulting" both women. The judge called it a betrayal of trust and of the medical oath Iqbal had taken, according to Dazzling Dawn.
Victims Read Impact Statements Aloud in Court
Both victims chose to read their own impact statements during the hearing. One told the court she had come to Iqbal in a position of trust. She said his actions betrayed that trust and violated the medical oath he had sworn. The other described lingering shock that lasted for months after the assault, according to The Independent.
Police praised both women for coming forward. Durham Constabulary and Northumbria Police each highlighted how vulnerable victims feel in the period after a road accident. Officers stressed that speaking out was not easy, given the trust patients place in doctors during medical examinations.
Ireland-to-UK Work Pattern Enabled Multiple Offences
Iqbal was not based in the UK. He lived in Julianstown, County Meath, and flew over regularly to carry out examinations for insurance companies. His work took him to clinics across the northeast of England, including Sunderland, Newcastle, and Darlington, according to Head Topics.
This pattern meant Iqbal was seeing vulnerable patients — people still recovering from accidents — with little ongoing oversight. The insurance-examination model gave him repeated access to victims in a clinical setting, where his authority as a doctor made it harder for patients to question his actions.
Conviction Highlights Abuse of Medical Trust
Iqbal was convicted after a full trial — he did not plead guilty. His 18-month sentence comes alongside a 10-year listing on the sex offender register. The General Medical Council is expected to review his fitness to practice, Dazzling Dawn noted.
The case is a stark example of how professional authority can be weaponised. Both assaults happened in clinical rooms, during legitimate consultations, with no witnesses. Police say it took real courage for the women to report what happened and to see the case through to trial.
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